Our People

Kura Te Ua is a professional Kaihaka, Māori Dancer, Choreographer, Producer and Director with extensive training from Pounamu Performing Arts and The University of Auckland where she graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Dance) and Bachelor in Māori Performing Arts. She is a long-standing member of the renowned Kapa Haka Group Te Waka Huia, which provides the foundations for her practice in ‘Haka Theatre’ a new indigenous art form that combines the fundamentals of kapa haka, Māori movement and theatre. As well as teaching Haka Theatre at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Kura has represented Aotearoa at a number of overseas festivals including The Pacific Arts Festival in Pagopago and the Solomon Islands, The Americas Cup in San Francisco, The Merrie Monarch Festival in Hawaii and the Olympic Gala Awards in Thailand. In 2014 she was selected by Creative New Zealand as the first Maori to represent Aotearoa in a 4 week Indigenous Dance Residency at the Banff Centre in Canada. She was also awarded the Tup Lang Choreographic Development Award in 2013. Her work is inspired by the current themes relating Te ao Maori, the environment, equality and indigeneity.

Beez Ngarino Watt is a versatile Kaihaka with skills in kapa haka, Māori movement, weaponry, taonga puoro, directing, acting and presenting. He has an immense passion for Health, Fitness and Māori Performing arts, which has led to a number of experiences including The Haka Theatre Production Arohanui – The Greatest Love, Maui – One man against the Gods and Hohepa – NZ opera. He presents of the ‘Whanau Living’ Television show and was casted in the new feature film ‘Deadlands’. Ngarino (Beez) is a valued member of Te Waka Huia and has represented at several Te Matatini Kapa Haka Competitions. He is inspired by Te ao maori me ona tikanga.

Sophie WilliamsIwi: Tuhourangi Ngati Wahiao, Ngapuhi

Sophie Williams is a Kaihaka and trained dancer, currently completing her final year of PhD research at The University of Auckland as part of the Dance Studies Programme.

Her training in Jazz, Contemporary Dance and Kapa Haka led to a debut performance of ‘Nga whaiaipo o te roto - Lovers of the Lake’ at Tempo Dance Festival 2013 and Kowhiti Dance 2013 Festival, which bought great recognition in the Maori Dance Scene.

Sophie brings a fresh prospective as a researcher, kaihaka and dance artist to Hawaiki TŪ and the performing arts industry.

Edmund EramihaIwi: Ngapuhi Nui Tonu

Edmund Eramiha (Eds) is an experienced Kapa Haka performer and a recent graduate with a Bachelor of Maori Performing Arts.

He has a range of skills in Mau rakau and Maori weaponry, which has led to a number of experiences in NZ cultural shows such as Kiwi Haka Culture experience in Queenstown, Waitangi night show, Tamaki Heritage village, Haka International and Te Wero Performing Arts.

Eds is a Professional Muay Thai Fighter and kaihaka performer, he specialises in fitness training and team Building. Recently he featured on the movie Mahana & Deadlands. Eds played a lead role in Hawaiki TU’s Haka Theatre Production ‘Te Manawa’ in 2015– and performed again at the Tempo Dance Festival 2014.